The Plunge
by CountessCora
Summary: From a tumblr prompt given to me by Minervadeannabond. "So I found this waterfall." I hope you enjoy it! One shot set during Christmas Special from Season Three. Cora and Robert discover a waterfall in The Highlands. Pure Cobert fluff!


**The Plunge**

 _AN: the characters don't belong to me. This story comes from a prompt from Minervadeannabond on tumblr, and it is for Cobert and says "so, I found this waterfall." I researched waterfalls in the UK and discovered that there were more than I expected, so the Steall Falls in Glen Nevis near Fort William in Scotland is a real location. Everything else is creative license. Also under the freedom of creative license is my description of the waterfall itself and whether or not anyone could actually swim there. :)_

"Remind me again why I thought trekking through the Scottish Highlands was a good idea?" Robert teased his wife in a good natured tone.

"Because it's not hunting, it still can be worthwhile," Cora responded as they progressed along the path. "Just look at how beautiful it is! I'm sure you can appreciate it more when you're not staring down the scope of a gun while you try to kill some defenseless animal. I'm not revealing the surprise just yet."

"If you say so," Robert replied. "You're right, it is beautiful. I'm glad we're not just sitting around Duneagle waiting for Susan to insult Shrimpie again and again. It gets old and I am beginning to not be able to abide that woman. After all, Shrimpie is my cousin. What does that woman think, tearing him down like that in front of his own family?"

Cora shook her head. "I don't know, Robert. I don't trust her very much. She is acting like she wants to steal O'Brien out from under me. What kind of woman tries to steal someone else's maid?" She looked ahead and turned to Robert with glee. Look! We're almost there!"

"Where? I don't see anything. But then he began to hear something. What is that, Cora? Rushing water?"

"Very perceptive, Robert," Cora answered with a smile. "Come on! Don't you want to see what it's like and maybe even do a little impromptu swimming?"

"Certainly I have heard you wrong," Robert said. "You suggest we swim in a waterfall in Scotland?"

"I am, Robert. That's exactly what I want to do." She climbed toward an opening where the whole bottom pool of the waterfall was seen. "As she walked toward the water," Robert grabbed her arm.

"Cora! You're not serious!" Robert's face was ashen with horror at the idea his wife was proposing at the moment.

"I am," she repeated calmly as she removed most of her clothing. "Help me with the buttons in the back, please."

He felt as if he was moving in a dream as he did as she told, then stood stock still as she started to remove his clothing until they were both standing by the pool in their undergarments.

"Come on, Robert. Get in," Cora called behind her as she entered the water. It was freezing, as cold as ice, but it somehow invigorated her.

"You're not seriously staying in there, it's got to be cold! You'll get sick!"

"Then please come in and do me the pleasure of warming things up," she invited. As if still walking in the same dream in which he had disrobed her, he found himself wading into the biting water.

"See? Not as cold as you expected?" Cora teased him. "Come on, let's swim before anyone wonders where we are."

"They won't wonder why we've stripped down practically naked in the highlands," Robert said with a sarcastic tone. "Not at all."

"Oh, you spoilsport!" Cora splashed water at Robert and got him directly in the face. "But it is cold. Want to get out?"

Robert trudged out of the pool and gave Cora a hand on her way out as well. He helped her into her clothing and she did the same for him as they began their walk back to the castle.

Once at the castle, they received very strange looks from Susan as they passed her in the way to Cora's room. It seemed that while a freezing waterfall might not be the idea place for terrific fun, but they soon discovered that the soft rug in front of the fireplace was rather cozy as they waited for their clothes to dry.

 **The End**


End file.
